Trends in retinopathy of prematurity over a 5-year period in a racially diverse population.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVE

Retinopathy of prematurity presents differently in developing versus developed countries, which may be due to environmental as well as racial differences.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Retrospective chart review of infants screened for ROP at a single neonatal intensive care unit. Risk factors were reviewed. Main outcome measures were rates of plus disease or treatment-requiring ROP by race.

RESULTS

The study included 497 infants screened for ROP in an urban neonatal intensive care unit. Gestational age, birth weight, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia were independent risk factors for both plus disease and treatment-requiring ROP with type 3 multivariate analysis. Self-identified white race was also a risk factor for plus disease and treatment-requiring ROP. Race was significantly associated with maternal age, multiple births, and blood transfusions.

CONCLUSION

In the study population, white race was an independent risk factor for plus disease and ROP treatment.